Jared Kushner, son-in-law of of President-elect Donald Trump, had been planning to return to his private businesses after Election Day. But on the morning after Trump won, he began discussing a role in the White House, sources told the New York Times. [Associated Press]

WASHINGTON — Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President-elect Donald Trump, has consulted with lawyers about the possibility of joining the new administration, the New York Times is reporting, citing two unnamed sources briefed on his discussions.

Such a move could run afoul of federal nepotism laws and would all but certainly invite legal challenges.

Kushner, 35, had been planning to return to his private businesses after Election Day. But on the morning after Trump won, he began discussing a role in the White House, according to the sources, who requested anonymity to describe his thinking.

Trump is urging him to join, according to one of the people briefed, a sentiment shared by Stephen Bannon, the chief strategist for the White House, and Reince Priebus, who was named chief of staff, the newspaper reported.

Kushner has consulted with at least one lawyer and believes that by forgoing a salary and putting his investment fund, his real estate holdings and his newspaper, the New York Observer, into a blind trust, he would not be bound by federal nepotism rules, the Times reported, citing one of the people briefed.

Still, it is not clear that such an arrangement would be legal. Under federal statute, the president cannot accept voluntary services that are not permitted by law, and a separate statute bars public officials from employing family members in any capacity.